WWII Veteran Who Drinks Whiskey And Smokes Cigars Turning 109

Living past 100 is pretty incredible, but doing it on your own terms is downright admirable. Richard Overton, a WWII veteran, is doing just that. On May 11, he’ll be turning 109 years old, making him one of the oldest living veterans of the Second World War.

Overton is no ordinary man, though. As I said, he lives on his own terms. He still drives, he still does his own yard work, and he still enjoys whiskey and cigars on a more than occasional basis.

Though he now lives in Austin, Texas, Overton has spent plenty of time elsewhere. In World War II, he served in the Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1945. Over the years, he’s worked a variety of jobs and met numerous dignitaries, from governors of Texas to the President of the United States. In fact, in 2013, Rick Perry even stopped by Overton’s house to talk with him and gift him a bottle of whiskey.

This is not the first time that Mr. Overton has made the news because of his birthday. His life and longevity have been covered before, on previous birthdays. Aside from being remarkable, his life and the way he lives make for a great story. A man in his hundreds who still sits on his front porch, does yard work, sweeps the driveway, and smokes a cigar is just plain cool.

When you think about it, Overton and his life in general are amazing. Consider everything he’s seen in his lifetime: the sinking of the Titanic, World War I, women’s suffrage, Prohibition (and its triumphant repeal), the Great Depression, World War II, The Cold War, every event mentioned in “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” and more.

Adding a splash of whiskey to his coffee in the morning or pouring a bit into a glass of 7-Up at night to “sleep good,” Overton keeps on keeping on. Here’s hoping he does for years to come..

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BlutarskyTFM (@BlutoTweets) is a contributing writer for Total Frat Move and Post Grad Problems, the self-appointed Senior Military Analyst for TFM News, founder of the #YesAllMenWhoWearHawaiianShirts Movement, and, on an unrelated note, a huge fan of buffets. While by no means an athletic man, he was the four-square champion of his elementary school back in the day. When not writing poorly organized columns or cracking stupid, inappropriate jokes on Twitter, Bluto pretends to be well-read, finds excuses not to exercise, and actually has a real job.

It’s great to see all the negative stories on Greek Life being replaced by U.S. Military Veterans getting the recognition they deserve for their incredible accomplishments. Here’s to Mr. Overton! Thank you for your service, and your undying love for cigars and whiskey. You give every 20-something’s male hope of living to 109.

It really didn’t to the military at the time. He spoke to members of my unit once and said that he and other black soldiers had to bunk with the prisoners of war, because the whites didn’t want them engaging with the rest of the soldiers. The things this guy lived through!

I too love whiskey, but I’m sure this guy drank in moderation, even though he drank consistently. The key to life is moderation: can’t get too drunk, can’t do too much fucking, can’t do too much partying, can’t do too much eating. It takes its toll.